This article reviews the main trends in the evolution of the vertebrate axial skeleton, with special focus on mammals. The structure of vertebrae is exposed according to traditional and current conceptions and several examples of species-specific and topography-specific adapta tions are given. The relationships between stature and the anatomy of the bony girdles surrounding the spine are discussed. Hypotheses on the influence of gravity on axial morphogenesis are formulated.

Many derangements in the cranio-mandibular relationship can contribute to the etiopathogenesis of tempero-mandibular disorders and postural anomalies. Orthodontists should understand their characteristics in order to prevent their development or correct them if they appear during the course of orthodontic treatment. Occlusal splints for re-positioning the mandible to restore it to a healthy physiological position are an invaluable tool in dealing with this aspect of orthodontic therapy.

The relationship between occlusion and posture has been a continual source of interest to all participants in the delivery of health care. But a certain amount of confusion still beclouds the subject because of the wide diversity of therapeutic approaches designed to deal with it and the weakness of methodological design in the scientific studies that have been published on it to date.

This article addresses the questions raised by that correlation between occlusion and posture as well as the therapeutic implications of a clinical approach integrating treatment of corporal posture into orthodontic care. A review of the literature shows that there is a dearth of reliable experimental data dealing with this subject. The data that is available points to the existence of this correlation and also asserts the prevalence of associations between idiopathic scoliosis and cranio-facial anomalies in adolescents.

The published facts appear to support our clinical impressions and subjective convictions. In order to enlarge our vision to encompass patients as entire human beings instead of compartmentalized biological segments each to be treated by an appropriate specialty it would be helpful if members of the various medical disciplines improved the lines of communication with each other. An equally desirable development would be the establishment of fundamental research and clinical programs that would help to establish causal relationships that would put therapy on evidence based foundation.

The purpose of this study is about the psychological suffering of the patients suffering from Postural Deficiency Syndrome. Our objective is to define this psychological suffering and find the most adapted tool to highlight this pain that would be easy to use by all practitioners interested in this population. 18 patients suffering from Postural Deficiency Syndrome (PDS) were compared to a reference population, comprising 55 chronic pain patients (for more than 2 months). The main evaluation criteria “Anxiety Depression Scale” concerns items in relation with slight anxiety or depression. Secondary criteria of this study are: Visual Analogical Scales (VAS, measuring pain intensity), Pain Sites Scoring (topographic scale), DALLAS multidimensional questionnaire (functional scale) and abridgement Beck Questionnaire (evaluation of depression). We use a multidimensional statistical evaluation (factorial analysis of correspondence) and the khi2 test.

This article addresses the questions raised by that correlation between occlusion and posture as well as the therapeutic implications of a clinical approach integrating treatment of corporal posture into orthodontic care. A review of the literature shows that there is a dearth of reliable experimental data dealing with this subject. The data that is available points to the existence of this correlation and also asserts the prevalence of associations between idiopathic scoliosis and cranio-facial anomalies in adolescents.

The Anxiety Depression Scale analysis separate two subpopulations: “anxious or depressed” and “not anxious and not depressed”. There is no significant difference between the postural patients and de reference population. The two populations present the same psychological disease. The patients suffering from chronic pain expressed much higher pain than the postural patients, at the VAS analysis. The visual topographic pain scale does not contribute to differentiate the populations. The DALLAS functional scale analysis reveals the small infirmity of postural patients on usual items of chronic pain. BECK questionnaire analysis does not show significant differences between chronic pain and postural patients. So the two populations present the same psychological suffering. The Anxiety Depression Score, main criteria of our study, is very well correlated to the Beck score and can be used alone for PDS patients. It helps non psychologists to distinguish PDS patients requiring adapted treatment. Secondary psychological pain with chronic symptoms indeed acts as a break in the medical care of PDS patients.